HALL SHOWCASE: STATIONS OF THE PAST VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 4
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION
Publications Agreement No: 41203011
Fire Watch Volume 14 Issue 4_v29.indd 1
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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION
VOLUME 14
|
ISSUE 4
IN THIS ISSUE 16
22
40
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FIRE WATCH (ISSN 1715-5134) is published by the TORONTO PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION 14 Cosentino Drive, Toronto ON M1P 3A2 Tel: 416.466.1167 www.torontofirefighters.org E-mail: firewatch@torontofirefighters.org CHIEF EDITOR Frank Ramagnano MANAGING EDITORS James Reed, Ken De Jong Tel.: 416.466.1167 Fax: 416.466.6632 E-mail: firewatch@torontofirefighters.org ASSISTANT EDITORS William Morris, James Kennedy, Mykhail Baehr, James Coones
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President’s Message
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Secretary-Treasurer’s Message
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Vice President’s Message
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Chaplain’s Corner
12
Hazmat IQ: “Old School”
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How To Get Fully Involved - Toronto Fire Fighters War Veterans’ Association Colour Guard
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Rebuilding an Antique Fire Truck
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Function, Fashion and Fire - Historical Society
27
Retired Toronto Fire Fighters’ Association
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Hall Showcase Station of the Past
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Behind the Mask – The Journey Back
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Back in My Day
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EMS Committee – Post-Exposure Process and the Mandatory Blood Testing Act for TFS Personnel
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Member Profile – Gus Maple
42
Fire Hall Cookbook
44
Never Shall We Forget
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Tribute to Ed Kennedy
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Fit to Survive – OLD SCHOOL CARDIO
50
3888 Recent Happenings
42
Christmas Party Drive-In Day
DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION Bryan Middleton FIRE WATCH PHOTOGRAPHER Mykhail Baehr & TPFFA Media Team CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL Agreement No: 41203011 PRINTED IN CANADA Copyright © 2020 Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association ADVERTISING Please contact Bill Monson at 416.466.9180 ext. 322 or e-mail monson@torontofirefighters.org Merchant Card Acceptance
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise without prior written permission from the publisher. FIRE WATCH is an official communication tool of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association. The Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association (TPFFA) does not assume responsibility for statements of fact or opinion made by any contributor. Comments made by individuals may not reflect the official position of the TPFFA. Acceptance and publication of articles, advertisements, products and services does not indicate endorsement of same by the TPFFA, and the TPFFA assumes no responsibility for their accuracy.
Fire Watch Volume 14 Issue 4_v29.indd 3
HA LL SH OW CA SE:
On The Cover “Old school” Toronto Firefighters battle a large fire (circa 1950). This image is one of many hanging in the hallway at Station 345 (Old Toronto 14) and reminds us that while the PPE and the technology may have changed, the danger and the hard work required have not.
STATIO NS OF THE PAS T VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 4
THE OFFICIAL
PUBLICATION OF THE
TORONTO PROFESSIO NAL FIRE FIGH TERS’ ASSO CIATION
Publications Agreeme
nt No: 4120301
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
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n April 29, 2021, I will reach 30 years of service and hit my OMERS early retirement date, at which time I can retire without a penalty. I will have just turned 53 years old. A point to understand is that while this may be the OMERS early retirement date, it is not my Toronto Fire Services early retirement date. That date is achieved six months prior, on November 1, 2020. This is the case because we have a very useful provision in our collective agreement. We have the option of retiring and using our sick time gratuity as vacation salary, as opposed to a lump sum payment. With this clause, I could have retired from TFS on November 1, 2020, and received my full salary for the next six months. Since it is deferred vacation time, the salary I would receive would be pensionable. OMERS would receive pension contributions from me and the city, up to April 30, 2021. They would then retire me as of April 30, 2021, and I would receive my first pension payment on May 1, 2021. As you can see from this example, I could have left six months earlier than my OMERS early retirement date, but it would not have a negative effect on my pension. We have a handful of members who exercise this option on a yearly basis. I believe it is so low, because most members are not aware of this benefit option. Recently, I had a member meet with me because he had an opportunity for different employment. We went over his numbers and he explained that he was going at his first opportunity because this other opportunity was waiting for him. When I mentioned that he could have done it six months earlier, he was disappointed that he was not aware of it. Most members would like to receive this as a lump sum, as they have the pension time they need. In the case of the member, he would have been able to receive both the Fire Department salary for six months and the wages from the other job for six months. That is the equivalent of receiving the lump sum sick time gratuity. In his case, it would have increased access to other employment
benefits as well. If he had been educated in this, he would have taken advantage of this option. It is for this reason that I say the time to plan for retirement is well before your actual retirement. I recommend a minimum of one to two years prior to the actual retirement taking place. Read and understand the collective agreement and the OMERS rules. Sign up for MyOmers with our “New Members Committee” and and explore the various tools it contains. stayed active until they decided to run for OMERS will be adding additional retire- 3888 leadership. We need to continue to ment planning functions to the tools that help ensure that we have many members with the needed skill set and experience. are already there. When I think of retirement from my We need to expand the education opportucurrent position, it is also hard not to think nities and that is an item that we are doing. about succession planning. Recently, we Recently, the executive board was able to have seen former union members move to partake in an online learning course, in management positions or acting positions. I cooperation with Ryerson-Lancaster House am sure that is not the succession planning Professional Learning Program. Our stewthat most members would have had in ards partook in an OPFFA online seminar. The membership can help with sucmind. One fact to keep in mind, is that all executive positions are elected positions. It cession planning. You can support your is very difficult for me or anyone else to do stewards and the members on various traditional succession planning, because it committees. At times, I have seen a small is not up to us who will replace us. It is minority attack a member’s motives for up to the membership, and we have seen getting involved with the association. I over the years, that they may have a differ- personally do not understand it. There are ent sense of who should represent them. many ways to try and improve the Fire It is for this reason that I do not begrudge Service. You can become an associate trainanyone who moves to a management posi- ing instructor, join various TFS committees, tion that has the skill set to do so. I would join 3888 committees and become a leader agree that working for the association has within the association. All these positions allowed them to obtain some of that skill are admirable, and all should be treated set, but as long as it is applied to better our with dignity and respect. COVID-19 has changed our normal way organization, it is up to them. It is for this reason that the type of succession planning of life. In fact, it has created a new normal, the association can do is ensure we have and we will have to adjust to it. It should people that develop the skills they may not change what we value and hold dear. need to move to other positions. As you To those we love and see each day, as well can see, those positions may be outside of as other loved ones that are far away; to all the association. That is how we measure if good friends who mean so much and those we are providing what we can for succes- with whom we’re out of touch…wishing you every happiness this holiday season sion planning. When I looked to see who recently ran in and throughout the coming year. Stay safe! the South and East Command by-elections, I was glad to see so many stewards. We have expanded member involvement beyond only stewards with over a hundred members sitting on our various commit- Frank Ramagnano, President tees. Someday, I hope to hear a President of Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association this association say that they got involved I.A.F.F. Local 3888
View the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association Income Tax Summary Vo l u m e 1 4 | I s s u e 4 | F I RE WAT CH
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SECRETARY-TREASURER’S MESSAGE
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riting articles for this publication was not something that I considered when I decided to run to be your Secretary-Treasurer. By the time you get the magazine, the pressure to write another article has already begun. Suzanne, from our office, is responsible for Fire Watch. When she left on maternity leave in September of this year, I was in a panic. So, I reached out to James Coones, my predecessor. He, along with Frank Ramagnano created Fire Watch back in 2005 and I asked him if he was interested in assuming the role once again. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to take it on at this time, but he recommended Ken de Jong as someone to approach for the job. I contacted Ken and his answer is one that I will never forget. “You don’t have the right to complain if you aren’t willing to step up yourself when the opportunity arises.” So far, I don’t think he has changed his mind. Ken’s vision for this edition was “Throwback.” It has been 15 years since the inaugural edition of Fire Watch. Previous editions are available on our website under the Media tab. If you look back on the 15 years since the magazine began, you will see some considerable changes that have occurred. I decided that I should take a look at our database, and what I found should not have come as a surprise. When TPFFA published the first issue of Fire Watch in the fall of 2005, only half of you were on the job! The First Class salary was $69,362. Captains made 110% (119% today, 120% in 2022) of the First Class rate and DCs made 130% (133% today, 135% in 2022). If you were a “Senior Firefighter,” someone with ten years of service, and who passed an annual exam, you would get an extra 2%. If you were already on an acting list, you did not have to do that exam. We were still a couple of years away from 3%-6%-9% recognition pay. If you were an Acting Captain or Acting District Chief, you were hoping to get promoted within a three-year window or
face having to re-qualify. Of course, this was before the module system that has come and gone. It had only been a year that members faced mandatory retirement at age 65. Only those in 42 District were working on a 24-hour shift schedule. The rest of us were working 10 hour days and 14 hour nights. I vividly recall my Captain at the time saying, “If we get a 24-hour shift, I will retire immediately!” Years later, his opinion had evolved, “If we lose the 24-hour shift, I will retire immediately!” He retired, “eventually.” If you wanted to transfer, you needed to fit into an “experience category.” 0-5, 6-10, and >10 years. If your seniority didn’t match the category, you didn’t get the transfer. If no one fit the box, then the junior-most applicant in the class above the vacancy got the spot. Perhaps you can see why that didn’t last. Within the Association, things looked very different as well. Looking at the Principle Officers, our President was Scott Marks, who now serves as an Assistant to the General President of the IAFF in our Canadian office in Ottawa. The VP was Ed Kennedy, who was President during my first term on the Board. He was a gentleman and a friend. You will be able to read more about him a little later in this edition. The Secretary-Treasurer was our current President, Frank Ramagnano. You can tell by looking back at some of the articles he wrote that he already had incredible knowledge in the field of pensions. The only other member of that Board still serving today is our current VP, Kevin McCarthy, an East Command Representative that chaired the Benefits Committee. Today, he is considered the go-to throughout the province on benefits issues in the fire service. They worked out of a former Toronto Fire station, converted to an office, at 39 Commissioners Street. That building could likely tell some stories. It had a ton of character, including a large patio and a bar! Times have certainly changed. It was fun looking back at some of those early magazines. I picked up some great
ideas for articles in the future. Speaking of what’s upcoming, I’m starting to look forward. In March of 2021, we will be nominating the next Executive Board of Local 3888. As always, it will be an opportunity for you to hear from all of the candidates. In-person campaigning may be off the table still, as it is currently with the East Command Bi-election. I imagine the use of technology and creativity may be necessary this time around. On July 1st, a new Executive Board will begin their work. I don’t know what that Board will look like, but my experiences tell me that there will be 15 people in that room dedicated to representing the membership. This year has been a year like no other in my lifetime. I have to admit, I will be happy to see 2020 in the rearview mirror. Maybe in another 15 years, people will look back on how we handled this situation. I think that our response will stand the test of time. Those of you who remember all of the “throwbacks” above will be enjoying retirement. The rest of you will be the “Senior Firefighters”. Some of you will step up to be the leaders of this organization. It might be you that’s stuck trying to come up with an idea for your next Fire Watch article. I’m already trying to figure out the next one. I wish you all a safe and Merry Christmas.
James Reed, Secretary-Treasurer Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association I.A.F.F. Local 3888
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VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
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n On January 1, 1998, the Metropolitan of Toronto and the five municipalities that surrounded it: East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough and York, were dissolved to create the City of Toronto. The merger was considered a cost-saving measure by the Progressive Conservative provincial government to save up to $645 million annually. Instead, the new City managed only to save $135 million annually. The transition cost totalled $275 million. The days, months and years that followed were difficult for City Managers and union members. However, it was also a time of growth in knowledge and experience as Local 3888 assembled an Executive Board of former Presidents and Vice Presidents. The guidance of both City and Union leaders would be necessary considering the task that lay before them. The amalgamation of six collective agreements and the creation of strong language set the foundation for years to come.
16.12 Benefits Monitoring Committee A benefits monitoring committee shall be established, consisting of up to two (2)
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representatives from each of Local 3888 and the City. This Committee shall be jointly chaired by the Director, Pension, Payroll and Employee Benefits, and the President of Local 3888 or their designates. The object of the Committee will be to address issues of concern arising out of the administration of the benefit plan, including the review of any special circumstances where employees incur extraordinary expenses within the parameters of the plan. And, to review the plan and, if the parties both agree, to make joint recommendations regarding the plan so as to ensure that it meets the needs of Local 3888 and the City. The Committee shall meet at the request of either party. Through the years, the Benefits Monitoring Committee has been instrumental in resolving hundreds of issues, creating past practices and avoiding grievances. The Committee met regularly to discuss individual issues, identify growing trends and recognize special circumstances. The Committee had a strong understanding of the contract and benefits entitlements. When
OHIP delisted several medications and tests, the BMC’s work ensured that Local 3888 still received coverage. Countless grievances were avoided, which often created past practices that were enjoyed for the years that followed. During the end of 2016, this relationship became fractured. Although the Association continued to use this platform to discuss the growing number of complaints, it was apparent that the City was not on the same page. Local 3888 had no other choice but to file one of the most elaborate grievances in their history. In the months that followed, thousands of online benefits forms submitted by our members provided the tools to set a successful course. In January of 2017, the City of Toronto switched Benefits Providers from Manulife to
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Green Shield Canada. Around the same time, the Auditor General provided several reports, both publicly and privately, with concerns of fraudulent activities amongst City employees. The battle was heating up and it was time to get reinforcements. It was a city-wide problem, so the Association reached out to the other city unions. Together, we created a coalition to share information. Everyone involved understood the importance of preserving what we had worked so hard to obtain through negotiations. Unfortunately, not all locals had the experience or collective agreement language to maneuver through the complicated legal battle that would follow. With the membership behind us, it didn’t matter how difficult the journey would be - Local 3888 went all in.
16.11 Change in Benefit Carrier Should there be a change in benefit carrier of any or all of the employee benefits outlined in this Article, such change of page shall not itself result in a change in benefit levels. The Benefits Committee began collecting information. The number of concerns and complete disregard of benefits entitlement was overwhelming. We had to develop a method to keep track of all the issues. The key was to highlight language and past practice differences, while providing actual examples of the individual cases’ effects. The hours turned into days, then into months, as the arbitration date got closer.
16.13 Copies of the Benefits Plan Booklet The City shall provide each employee a copy of the benefit plan booklet and shall provide updates when they occur. The City shall provide Local 3888 with a copy of the benefit plan booklet and updates for proof-reading and comment prior to its distribution to employees. 16.14 The City shall provide the Association with a copy of the signed benefit plan(s), including any updates or changes thereto, once the City is in receipt of the same. Any update or change shall not reduce the scope, level, or nature of any benefit without the agreement of the parties. Green Shield Canada provided us with a benefits booklet. Upon review, it was evident that there were many inconsistencies. The Association refused to allow the booklet
to be released to our membership because of the inaccurate information. As per Article 16:14, the Association asked for a signed copy of the Master Agreement between GSC and the City. The City’s position was there was no difference between the Benefits Booklet and the Master Plan. In reality, a Master Agreement contains more detail for usage in administrative purposes. The Association was familiar with the Master Plans of Manulife and diligently reviewed and updated the contract over the year. A line-by-line comparison of the two documents and our Collective Agreement highlighted very clearly there was a reduction of benefits. It was time to take our arguments forward.
End of Past Practice 16.01(i) - Extended Health Care Plan Eligibility for Benefits - Definition of Spouse 16.01(c) - Extended Health Care Plan Eligibility for Benefits - Life Events 16.01(b) ii, (c) - Extended Health Care Plan - Eligibility for Benefits - Eligible Expenses 16.02(f) - Extended Health Care Plan Eligibility for Benefits - Physiotherapy 16.02(j) - Extended Health Care Plan Eligibility for Benefits - Out of Country Coverage 16.03 - Extended Health Care Plan Dental Benefits - Anaesthesia/Dental Sedation 16.03 - Extended Health Care Plan Dental Benefits - Dental Implants (removed) 16.06 - Extended Health Care Plan Long Term Disability During the recent round of bargaining for a new Collective Agreement, the City presented the Association with eight benefits that ended past practice. Limitations to physiotherapy, a reduction to out of country benefits, significant depletion of dental coverage, LTD changes, and administrative language around dependants. Each item presented a further reduction to services. In an age where the risk to our health and wellbeing is increasing, a reduction of benefits is the last thing we needed. The parties agreed to have the end of past practices dealt with through the on-going arbitration.
Arbitration Award There were a total of seven arbitration dates. I was the only witness, and spent two days on the stand reverberating over 20 years of my life and work. The Association brought forward 86 language concerns and seven “end of past practices.” The approach taken was very unorthodox; however, it was the only way to stop the bleeding. Every single issue would have been a reason to file a grievance on its merit. It is an estimation that we will resolve 1200 of 1400 issues put forward to the Committee.
Back to Arbitration After receiving the award, the Benefits Committee provided a summary to our members. (Union Notice-20-103-BenefitsArbitration-Summary). Every issue was broken down, indicating the outcome with references to the arbitrator’s rulings. In general, the TPFFA did very well. We were successful in all of the “end of past practices” and maintained our benefits entitlements. The items that went in the City’s favour were primary exclusion issues that were never part of our benefits plan. The Benefits Committee immediately reached out to the City to start the review and reimbursement process. We provided them with an outline with edits to the GSC benefits booklet and reference pages to the Arbitrators award to support the changes. The Committee also provided a list of affected members, tying their issues to the applicable supporting references. There were two meetings, and the City was not very cooperative. Arbitrator Sheehan remained seized, which means we can return to him without following the usual practice. We have booked five more dates. We have instructed our legal team to seek damages. Unfortunately, the battle isn’t over. Through the Committee’s efforts, and with the support of our members, many issues have been resolved. But we are not there yet. Please continue to provide support and continue to arm our Committee with the benefits issues forms. Firefighters stick together even in times of diversity. Hang in there. We will see this through to the end.
Kevin McCarthy, Vice President Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association I.A.F.F. Local 3888 Vo l u m e 1 4 | I s s u e 4 | F I RE WAT CH
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CHAPLAIN’S CORNER DISRUPTION!
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ore than any other year that most of us have seen, 2020 has been a year of disruption! So many things have been upended: where people work, how they work, how we shop, who we can and can’t visit, how to attend the funeral service of a loved one, having wedding plans put on hold, etc. As it relates to 2020 and disruption, Toronto Fire Services has not been immune either. Hall visits have been put on hold, station cleaning has many new wrinkles, how one interacts with their crew and co-workers while on and off the job, the cancellation of numerous events (retirement parties, various acts of service in the community), and countless emails have been sent out regarding important safety protocols, etc. Said no one ever, “I’d like my entire life turned upside down!” Yet, that is exactly what has happened. “Disruption”, which is another word for “change”, is often an unpleasant experience. It comes in all sizes and shapes — a death, changes in one’s job situation, family life issues, or, when companies like Amazon change the way we shop, resulting in the bankruptcy of many businesses in the process. For those of you who are in a leadership position, leading through the last year has been more tiring and challenging than ever. The safety and well-being of those you serve has taken on added meaning. More than ever, wisdom and patience are needed, plus the right tools in your hands and at your disposal. As it regards our personhood, COVID-19, as a disruptor, has had a profound effect on our lives. It affects all three parts of who we are as people: our spiritual lives, our physical selves, and our mental outlook. As for the spiritual part of us, the crisis at hand has led many to think of their world view. One’s world view concerns one’s beliefs about God, the universe, our place in the world, the meaning of life, our purpose, the solu-
tions to the world’s problems, and our own mortality. Often, when there is a crisis, one asks the big picture questions. This, in itself, is not a bad thing. Crisis sometimes leads to one being a seeker of things pertaining to God, religion, and spirituality. At other times, one’s spiritual or religious beliefs suffer. While we cannot stop the bad things and disruptions that happen in the world and in our lives, our worldview can help us process and live with the pain we witness. Don’t neglect your spiritual side - it’s part of you and every person. As the Bible says, “God has set eternity in the hearts of people”. Physically, the disruption of this past year has had its own share of impacts on us. You might have experienced moments when your muscles have been tense, you feel fatigue, your stomach is upset, you have increased blood pressure, headaches, difficulty sleeping, and even fluctuations in your weight. Such are normal responses. So, if you’ve noticed that the pandemic has affected you physically, don’t be hard on yourself. As a way of coping, get as much fresh air and outdoor time as you can. The world God made is an amazing thing; full of beauty and wonder that can lift our thoughts, our hearts, and does us a lot of physical good when we enjoy it. As for our collective mental health, on average, people’s mental health has taken a turn for the worse this past year. Depression and anxiety have skyrocketed. Intrusive thoughts, apathy, discouragement, feeling lost, feeling overwhelmed, are normal responses when one’s world is turned upside down and bad news is constantly piped into our heads. As a means of coping, turn off the news or curtail it as much as possible, and put good and wholesome things into your mind. As the pandemic grinds on, do what you can to be kind to others. The longer this goes on, the more patient we all need to be with each other. Pray for patience and take care of yourself
West Command Rev. Todd Riley 416-318-9167 tsriley@teksavvy.com
spiritually, mentally, and physically. A BIG THOUGHT. Disruption is not all bad. As much as you and I might wish that the troubles and losses of 2020 weren’t here, there have been some good things that have happened along the way. Disruption can be an incredible catalyst for good and necessary change in our lives. Disruption is a potential pathway to growth. As the proverbial “dust settles”, disruption can, and often does, represent opportunity. As I close, I pose a few reflection questions. How has the pandemic affected you spiritually, mentally, physically, and in your relationships with others? How have you grown? Have you taken the time and energy needed to fix up some relationships in your life – since we’ve been reminded that life is short, and stuff is just stuff. If, for some reason, you are stuck and needing help from another person, reach out and talk to someone you trust. Getting help is a sign of strength. As for me, I’ve found my faith in Christ to have given me daily strength as I’ve walked through this year of “disruption”. My faith is not a magic bullet that takes away pain or makes trouble disappear, but it helps me frame and make sense of the world, decide what I’m supposed to do, care for others, care for myself, and it gives me hope. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you! As you’re able, lend your strength to those in need and who are weak. Thanks for all you do in the service of others! Todd Vo l u m e 1 4 | I s s u e 4 | F I RE WAT CH 11
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Hazmat IQ “Old School” BY STUART WEST, TORONTO FIRE ACTING CAPTAIN, STATION 111-B
I was asked to write an “old school” themed article for this edition of Hazmat IQ. It was suggested that the topic of discussion could include the ways in which Hazmat response in the fire service has changed over the years. Happy to oblige, I began to think about all the ways in which Hazmat response has changed. Although the fire service has been responding to Hazmat related calls for well over 100 years, organized Hazmat response is still relatively new, having a history of approximately 40 years. The most profound changes that have occurred have clearly stemmed from the professionalization of Hazmat response, including the new technologies that have become available. These technologies
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have brought us many new types of detection and identification equipment, in addition to vast resources available in terms of research for chemical information. As a response to the September 11th terror attacks in 2001, federal monies became available to provide funding for new training programs and equipment acquisition. In response to this new threat, a new adjunct to Hazmat response was created: Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive (CBRNE). Previously, CBRNE had largely been something only the military was concerned with. Within North America, large scale, coordinated terrorist attacks were now seen by intelligence agencies as being not just possible, but probable.
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Many of the changes and advancements in Hazmat response have been spawned as a reaction to a particular event that saw a loss of life and injury to people, a great deal of property damage, and harm to the environment. We have also seen this occur previously in terms of Hazmat in our very own province of Ontario. The Mississauga train disaster on November 11th, 1979, and the Sunrise Propane explosion on August 10th, 2008, are two such events that come to mind. Both of these events led to positive safety changes in their respective industries and brought greater awareness as to the destructive capabilities of chemicals that are transported on our railways, roadways and manufactured and processed in our neighbourhoods. All levels of government have also gotten involved and provided more regulations on how these chemicals can be shipped and stored. Over the years, we have seen a clear expansion of the role of our Hazmat responders. There are quite literally thousands and thousands of chemical compounds, with new ones being created all the time. It is without question that some of the greatest changes between the old days of Hazmat response and today are some of the new technologies that are now being utilized. The lab has now been effectively brought into the field, as the same technologies that can be found to analyze samples in our chemical laboratories, have been made portable and more rugged. I would like to highlight some of these “toys” that are being deployed by our Heavy Hazmat response vehicles, for those members who may not already be aware.
The “TOYS” Hazmat ID 360/Hazmat ID Elite The “Hazmat ID 360” and its newer version, the “Hazmat ID Elite” utilize Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to analyze unknown liquids and solids. The sample is analyzed, and the resulting spectrum is then compared to the onboard libraries consisting of databases of thousands of spectra including narcotics, explosives, toxic industrial chemicals, chemical warfare agents, among others. This piece of equipment is part of our CBRNE compliment but is also effective for identifying unknown chemicals in Hazmat response. Responder-Raman Chemical Identifier The Responder RCI utilizes Raman technology to analyze unknown solids and liquids and was brought in to compliment the Hazmat ID, as they both have different methods of analysis. When working in concert with one another, and with Bluetooth technology, a higher degree of confidence can be attained. Unlike the Hazmat ID, the Raman device uses a laser to analyze the sample and is completely selfcontained. The Raman device compares the sample spectrum to its onboard libraries, numbering in the thousands of spectra, as does the Hazmat ID.
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When Old Toronto Fire Station #9, on Ossington Avenue, was decommissioned over 50 years ago, the four clocks that adorned the tower went missing. Councilor Joe Cressy had a motion passed in July 2019 to have municipal departments help the Ossington Community Association find them and make them part of an exterior revitalization of the heritage building and its grounds. If you have any information on this “municipal mystery�, please contact the Association.
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Hazmat IQ...Continued from page 13
LCD 3.3 Chemical Warfare Agent Detector The LCD 3.3 is a Chemical Warfare Agent (CWA) vapour detector, designed to rapidly identify airborne CWA’s including nerve, blister, blood and choking agents, in addition to a select number of toxic industrial chemicals including Chlorine, Sulphur Dioxide, Phosgene and Hydrogen Chloride. The LCD 3.3 utilizes Ion Mobility Spectrometry to “see the gas”. Although the LCD 3.3 is also part of our CBRNE equipment, it can also be used to compliment our other vapour detection equipment in certain Hazmat situations. Radseeker Radioisotope Identifier The RadSeeker is a handheld, portable, rugged and highly accurate radioisotope detector and identifier. The RadSeeker can be used during a search or screening scenario in order to detect radioactive sources, and then clearly identify whether the radioactive material uncovered is harmless, naturally occurring radiation or a more dangerous source, such as special nuclear materials or those consistent with a “dirty bomb”. For each source identified, the RadSeeker provides a risk assessment, describing the source as innocent or a threat. The RadSeeker is one of our newest pieces of equipment and is primarily for CBRNE responses. In addition to the latest technologies available for detection and identification purposes, we have also seen great changes in how we conduct chemical research when arriving on scene to a potential Haz/ CBRNE event. Gone are the days when the Haz Techs could be seen furiously leafing through large binders and textbooks, looking for a particular chemical. Both Heavy Haz vehicles have a laptop and an iPad, complete with selected apps and websites that make researching
chemicals all too easy. Modern technological advancements have improved all facets of Hazmat response. Improvements have been made to our protective gear, our Hazmat vehicles, SCBA’s, etc. Much of the newer equipment has interconnectivity, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi. These improvements enable us to meet the ongoing challenges presented by hazardous materials in our modern world. I think many of you would be surprised if you knew the amount and varied types of hazardous chemicals being used in many of the workplaces in our running areas. It is a certainty that there will be more Sunrise propane type incidents in the future in our city. This is not a doom and gloom premonition, but a reality based, factual statement. There is simply too much product being produced, processed, and travelling on our roadways and railways for there not to be a major incident at some time. I would encourage all crews to get to know the chemicals that may be in your first call areas. Lastly, I would like to give a shout out to some of the pioneers of Hazmat/CBRNE response in the City of Toronto. These individuals did not benefit from the technological advancements of today that make our job safer. While even today we do not have the ability to detect every chemical compound in existence, years ago the detection equipment was much less reliable and far less capable. Many times, they also had to develop their own procedures and SOG’s, without the benefit of an existing framework. This list of names is undoubtedly incomplete; however, I would like to recognize the following individuals for their contributions to Hazmat/CBRNE in the City of Toronto: Rick Brown (Retired), Platoon Chief Rob Pennington, District Chief Bruce White (Retired), District Chief Bill Cooney, Div. Chief Rem Gaade (Retired), Platoon Chief Don Beam (Retired) and District Chief Bob Crawford (Current Chatham Fire and EMS Chief). Stay safe.
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How to Get FULLY INVOLVED! Toronto Fire Fighters War Veterans’ Association Colour Guard (Interview with Captain (Retired) & Colour Guard Commander Brian Bertram) BY KEN DE JONG, TORONTO FIRE CAPTAIN, STATION 345-A
KEN: What does your organization do, and what is its history? BRIAN: The Colour Guard attends the TFFWV Association annual agenda of functions and pays tribute to its fallen members at funerals and remembrance ceremonies, in either a static display of colours, or in parade/marching fashion. When requested by Toronto Fire Services, City Protocol, or the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association, the Guard attends functions (such as recruit graduations) and it also marches in various local and international parades. The Toronto Fire Fighters War Veterans’ Association began in 1935, when eight WWI veterans met at The Prisoner of War Club at Shuter & Mutual. The organization originally promoted the welfare of Toronto Fire Fighter ex-servicemen and provided a social outlet for them and their families. As the suburbs grew after WWII, the organization expanded to welcome fire fighter veterans from neighbouring fire departments, and ultimately recruited non-veteran fire fighters as Associate Members. Subsequently, the TFFWVA formed our Colour Guard in the early 1950s and began formally marching to display the TFFWV Association Colour (our flag) with two ceremonial riflemen to “guard” it. Depending on the event, the Guard also carries an impressive display of international, national, provincial, military, and other colours.
INTRODUCTION
This is a series of Q&A articles on Toronto Fire related organizations that can get you more involved in the firefighting community. Some of the best people on the job give back to the fire service in fun and exciting ways. If you find this organization interesting, consider reaching out to them for more information. In keeping with this edition’s theme of “Old School”, we are highlighting the Toronto Fire Fighters War Veterans’ Association Colour Guard.
KEN: What is the basis of your activities (the marching), etc? That is, is it based on military protocols? BRIAN: Depending on the occasion, location, and number of participating members, Guard members march in prescribed formation and carry each colour adhering to conventional protocols. KEN: How do you recruit members? BRIAN: Word of mouth or interest arising from observing our performance at a function is the typical way we attract new members. Anyone interested can contact Brian Bertram or visit torontofirefighters. org > Members Groups > Toronto Firefighters War Veterans’ Assoc for further information. We encourage active and retired members who enjoy the physical aspect of marching, understand the volunteer aspect of the organization, and respect the discipline associated with wearing our uniform and carrying our colours. 16
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KEN: Are there any costs that are the responsibility of the members? BRIAN: A full dress uniform is provided for each member. Transportation to and from events is generally arranged by individuals with car-pooling. The only cost is a $25 annual membership fee. KEN: What is your most epic event that you’ve done or you’ve been at?
KEN: What is the commitment for a member? BRIAN: Other than several annual parades and events, such as two Remembrance Day parades and services, our schedule varies depending on current events. Therefore, requests for our participation come with varying degrees of notice. We acknowledge the nature of volunteerism requires a balance of commitment and flexibility, and it is particularly true for our group. The duration of a function ranges from less than an hour to the better part of a day. All details of each event are explained in the email “call-out” sent from the Commander. While we cannot always enjoy the full participation of everyone, most dedicated members turn out and show their support year after year. KEN: How hard is it to learn and get good at the skills for your organization? BRIAN: Learning to march, maneuvering in parade formation - while carrying a flag is fairly simple to our members. Keeping the pace in a parade is easy with musical accompaniment, especially if we’re marching with the Toronto Fire Services Pipes & Drums.
KEN: Where and when do you meet for practices and events? BRIAN: There are a few standard flag-bearing and marching sequences that can easily be memorized after an initial demonstration and practice. Most functions require on-thespot adaptation according to the location or venue, so the Commander conducts a mini-rehearsal prior to each event and calls out the marching orders (directions).
BRIAN: Each opportunity to parade and display our colours in a public setting is enjoyable. We have done many interesting events over the years. The annual Pearl Harbour Remembrance Service in Buffalo, NY is held at the impressive Naval Museum, and our presence and participation is genuinely appreciated. Marching onto centre field at Rogers Centre for game opening for the Blue Jays was a “hit”. KEN: Have you met anyone famous or done any other special events? BRIAN: Dignitaries, politicians and celebrities typically attend the parades and public functions we are invited to attend. We appreciate the positive comments and compliments we receive from time to time. KEN: What would you say to someone out there thinking of joining the Colour Guard? BRIAN: Our purpose in all we do is to reflect the pride and respect for the Fire Service and pay homage to our fallen brothers and sisters. We are actively recruiting new members whose lifestyle has the flexibility and whose passion for our cause stirs a genuine interest in marching, carrying our glorious colours, and joining our fine group. We welcome your interest and participation. CONTACT INFORMATION Captain Brian Bertram, retired Cell: (416) 473-4506 Email: brianbertram@sympatico.ca Vo l u m e 1 4 | I s s u e 4 | F I RE WAT CH 17
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es ercom v O n ions! t Passio a l u b i and Tr 5-A Trials , STATION 33
HTER NTO FIREFIG O R TO , O IN L ORSEL BY JAMES B
A
s far back as I can remember, I have always had a passion and fascination with fire trucks! As a kid, I had a Tonka Snorkle Tower, and when I was in high school, I had a collection of die cast Matchbox and Corgi fire trucks. The scale models were nice, but they didn’t truly fill my passion for fire trucks! In 1986, the Rockton Fire Company, part of the Flamborough Volunteer Firefighters, had bought an antique fire truck from the Town of Flamborough. It started its service in 1949 for the West Flamborough Fire Department, serving Greensville and area into the late 1970’s, remaining there until its sale in 1986. In my senior year of high school, they decided to bring it to my high school to have the students do mechanical and body repairs on it. I remember being in my math class, when I spotted a tow truck bringing the fire truck to the rear of the mechanical shop. As soon as class ended, three of us raced down to the shop to see it and to meet two of the veteran Volunteer Firefighters. Over the semesters, we replaced all the brakes, tuned the engine, removed the rear fenders for repair and did some rewiring of lights. It turned out to be the first fire truck I ever got to drive as I had to take it for test drives around the school
DELIVERY OF THE 1942 TO THE HAMILTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
to make sure the brakes and the siren still worked! I was definitely hooked! In 1988, I joined the Rockton Station of the Flamborough Fire Department and was reunited with the 1949 Chevy Bickle-Seagrave pumper. Unfortunately, I was too young to get to drive it, but I still got to take care of it. In 1989, I was hired by Toronto Fire and my volunteering ended, which meant no more 1949 pumper for me. Throughout my career, my collection of die cast fire trucks grew, but I still didn’t have what my passion really wanted an actual fire truck. I didn’t want just any fire truck though! I wanted the 1949. The day finally came when I received a phone call from one of the volunteers that owned the 1949. He was wondering if I was still interested in buying the old pumper. I answered, YAAA! I never thought I would actually get that truck, but I had built a large shop and it was perfect to store it in. A week later, it was parked in my shop. However, it would be over a year before I could get all the parties involved to complete the final sale! Now that I finally owned it, the fun began! I began to check it over and I made a list of things I needed to fix. I knew the brakes were seized because it took two tractors to drag it off the float truck and into my shop! It turned out the engine was also seized. The list of repairs were long and expensive! We decided that if we were going to do this right, we would
THE 1949 STANDING IN HONOUR OF RETIRED ROCKTON (TOWN OF FLAMBOROUGH) DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF’S FUNERAL
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need to invest in good, high lift, safety stands. It was the first big expense, but it was worth it! I had to free up every brake drum to get them off. All the work I had done in high school, now had to be redone (and then some!) Luckily, I had friends, who knew friends, who knew businesses that specialized in heavy truck parts. It’s amazing how many parts from 70 year old trucks are still available today! The first time I called for brake cylinders, the man said that the rear ones were on his shelf, but the front ones would have to be ordered and would take two days. I couldn’t believe it! Some of the other parts took some serious talent to find, but that’s where friends come in. I needed a master brake cylinder and I couldn’t find one anywhere! I went to my new best friend at Industrial Brake in Hamilton and two weeks later, there was a new, old stock, factory GMC, master cylinder waiting for me! He found it somewhere in the USA. My next challenge was trying to free up the engine. After three weeks of filling the cylinders with diesel fuel and penetrating oil, the pistons final broke free and the engine turned over! I was not ready to rebuild this engine as there is only so much money to go around. Have I mentioned I also own a 1942, former Hamilton Fire Department pumper as well? Unfortunately, it needs a complete engine, so it is on hold for now. Remember, it’s my passion and it doesn’t have to make sense! Back to the 1949.
After installing a new fuel pump, filter, fuel lines, spark plugs and wires, I decided to remove the over flow cooling line from the radiator and soldered that hole closed. Now the rad could work as it should. It also needed all new rad hoses, thermostat and, of course, new batteries, not to mention four different types of lubricants; one for the engine, the transmission, the transfer case and the differential. I need to invest in oil stocks! Finally I was able to get the engine to fire and it ran like a hero! Unfortunately, the “trials and tribulations” kept showing up! It was idling like a well-tuned machine, but it would only throttle up to 1100 rpm. At this point, my passion to drive it again took over! The engine was running, the brakes were fixed, the lights all worked, and yes, the siren worked too! Two plus years of work had occurred and I had waited long enough to take it for a test drive. I rolled her for the first time out of the shop, under her own power and, of course, I had my wife video the moment. I decided we,the truck and I, were going to drive up to the local baseball park about three kilometres away. My wife decided to wait at home for the phone call that the truck had died on me! It was beautiful! I could only get the truck up to 22 miles an hours, but it felt so good to be driving it again, after more than 30 years. I did not have the carburetor rebuilt (I plan to do it this winter) but, three years ago, I did manage to get it certified and licenced. It ran well enough to show it off twice at the
1951 PHOTO OF THE 1949
Fall Fair and at one of the car shows in Rockton. After that, the trials and tribulations reared their ugly head again! The drive line developed a terrible grinding noise! Things were fine while it was sitting still, but as soon as I started moving, it sounded like a coffee grinder. My first thought was the transmission. Nope! Maybe it was the differential? Nope. It was the bearings in the transfer case. It took me a year to get it to loosen up in order to put it into pump gear! I dropped the oil out of the transfer case and was horrified how thick and brown it was! There was so much rust in the oil, it looked like chocolate fudge sauce! So this spring, I built an overhead hoist out of wood and removed the transfer case to rebuild it. It’s a 70 year old truck and it’s been repainted a number of times. Nowhere could I find serial numbers of any kind to identify the pump and/or transfer case. I tore apart every gear and every bearing and was very happy to find out that all of the bearings and seals were readily available! Unfortunately, trials and tribulations don’t only come in the form of rusted parts, unknown noises and lack of funds!
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Rebuilding...Continued from page 19
ME AND THE 1949 AT MY HIGH SCHOOL 1986
In 2005, I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that stemmed from an incident in 1994. It is very difficult to talk about, let alone admit, one has mental health problems. Having a good friend behind me was a major turning point. I was able to get some therapy and have been able to remain on the trucks. Much like old fire trucks, mental health requires maintenance! We both start at the peak of our lives, excited to save the world. At the sound of an alarm, we jump to attention, our engines roar to life and in seconds we are out the door. As time goes on, we get run down, worn out and that response time gets longer (or the engine just won’t start). If left unchecked, things on a fire truck get rusty and gummed up which causes problems. The mind is the same. Like my transfer case, if we try to hide it, bury it with other distractions, or just hope it goes away, the problems will run much deeper. With help, it will get better. Covid-19 brought my struggles to the surface and I was no longer able to keep working. It was clear that 32 years of fire service had caught up to me and I was no longer able to hide from my PTSD. This also caused me to lose my interest and my passion in fixing my fire trucks. I felt they had to take a back seat to getting my mental health back on track. I knew that working on my trucks would be great therapy, but I was just at the point where all I could do was sit and look at them. I didn’t know where to start, what I wanted to work on, or how I was going to get anything done. Thankfully, I have been lucky to have friends who understand mental health and directed me to a great therapist and a fantastic support group. My best decision was to become a member of Project Trauma Support. PTS invited me to their retreat where I was privileged to spend six days with eight other people who were all finding their way through this storm, we know as PTSD! With the help of their amazing staff, mentors and new friends, I’m now back on track! I couldn’t have gotten to where I am without their help! I also can`t
stress enough that I couldn`t have done it on my own! Family and friends are what makes the difference. Please reach out if you need it - it`s only going to help! And don’t be afraid to reach out to someone who you might think needs the help. It’s not easy, but in my case it was a friend who started me in the right direction by realizing I needed help. They brought in our EAP group for a post incident talk. Fortunately, one of the members was a person I knew and had great respect for and I was comfortable to contact. She gave me the name and number of a City Psychologist. The biggest problem with trying to help people is that they have to be ready accept the help. There is an old saying, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink”. All we can do to help our brothers and sisters is to be open, honest and not be afraid to talk to them about what they are going through. Most of all, don’t shut them out. It’s not COVID-19 - you can’t catch it! We also have to change our idea that calling someone to see how they are doing is an invasion of their privacy. The worst thing for mental health is the feeling you are all alone and no one cares. By being open about my PTSD, I have had more people reach out to me for help than for any other reason! This also helps me feel better, knowing I can still help other people! So at this point in time, the transfer case is ready to be reassembled and reinstalled in the 1949 fire truck. I’m excited again and I’ve been enjoying the process of cleaning the gears and shafts to make them ready for the new bearings and seals. I put the output shaft in the freezer for a while and I put a little heat on the bearings and they slipped together perfectly! A little heat for the other bearings and all of them are now in place and ready to become a working unit again. There are still valves and drains to rebuild and replace, so I won’t be pumping water this year. But next spring, WATER ON! CHARGE THAT LINE! For more information about Project Trauma Support, check out their website at https://projecttraumasupport.com/ Or, feel free to contact me about fire trucks and PTSD!
THE 1949 SITTING PRETTY, MAY 2019
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Fall Greetings from the Retired Toronto Fire Fighters’ Association! I hope everyone is well and hunkering down for the coming winter season. I don’t think we put much thought to the words of Confucius when he said, “May you live in interesting times!” We need to look up the definition of interesting. Last issue, we left you with the lead up and transition to retirement. It is only fitting now that we chat about what happens after retirement. So, what do you guys all do after retirement anyway? The answer to this question is an easy one. With the exception of going to work, the same! What’s the same? Our members, retired or otherwise, are a very diverse group. Their part-time activities and volunteering are an amazing thing to watch. Add the huge number of hobbies to that and the question answers itself. Most articles these days regarding retirement will all suggest that in your transition, you have a plan. For most, their plan is just to give more time to what they are doing already. The RTFFA is slowly adding some of our members’ activities and events on our social media sites. Do keep an eye on our website at www.retiredtorontofirefighters.org, and our RTFFA Facebook Page.
I would be remiss if I didn’t offer a bit of retrospect. Pardon the humour here but, “in the beginning” there were six fire departments. If you add the TFS, there are seven. I don’t think most folks give it much thought, but there are a lot of us spread across many groups. With each department having had a labour group, retiree group, golf league, baseball league, and bowling league, there are a lot of groups and a lot of activities. Since amalgamation, the change to the 24-hour shift and attitudes towards alcohol and driving, some of these groups have dwindled. Today, many of these groups are still active. Local 3888 has a number of events that the retirees participate in and attend. Until Covid-19 arrived, there were many breakfasts and retirement parties. Of course, Covid-19 has had quite a drastic effect on the parties and get-togethers. Once it is over, we are sure that they will be back in full swing. As of the writing of this article, we have decided to cancel our Fall Membership Meeting. As you can imagine, planning under the current restrictions is difficult. We did look into holding the meeting “virtually” but after some investigation, we determined that there were too many issues working against us and we couldn’t manage it. As of our last count, we have well over 300 members and are still growing. In future issues of Firewatch, we will continue to keep all of you updated on our progress. Our membership drive is continuous, so if you’re interested in becoming a member, feel free to contact us at active. retired@torontofirefighters.org. The dues ($25.00) are payable annually on the 1st of May and we will be holding two general membership meetings each year. One is in the spring, where you can sign up and/ or pay your dues in person, and the other is in the fall. Meetings will involve food and fellowship. What could be better! Come join us and be well.
President Alan Thomas - Secretary/Treasurer Chuck West - Alan Hall - Paul Halls - Ron Coates - Al Falkner
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HALL PROFILE: BY BERNICE HALSBAND, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTER, STATION 232-C
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magine that the year is 1834. Within the past decade, aluminum has been discovered and aluminum powder is being made in Germany. In the US, the Democratic Party is created. Napoleon has died on Helena, and the first photographs have been developed in France. Typewriters have just become a “thing” in the world. Toronto has just been incorporated as Ontario’s first city. Its northern city limit is Bloor Street and the streets are mostly packed dirt. The Toronto Islands are still attached to the mainland (and will be for another 20 years) and William Lyon Mackenzie’s party, the Reform Party, has won the elections and chosen him as Mayor of Toronto. You’re walking north on Bear Street (now Bay Street) towards Lot Street (now Queen Street), not towards Old City Hall (that was not completed until 1899), but for a stroll through the woods. Suddenly the bells ring from St. James’ Church (the only bells in the city), and shouting can be heard.
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“FIRE!!”
The voices shout out as smoke billows from the east. After what feels like forever, the earth shakes as goose-neck fire engines, drawn by horses, race past you. First, they head south to the bay to fill up an onboard reservoir with water, then to the fire that has been growing steadily. Citizens have been trying to throw buckets of water on the blaze to no avail. The only chance the building has is the pump that throws a “5/8 or ¾ stream about 140 ft.” (History of the Toronto Fire Department, published 1924). To your relief, you see not one, but two quickly moving apparatus thundering up the street towards you, with horses foaming at the mouth as they gallop with 32 men hanging on for dear life. There are 16 men on each ‘pump’, one named York and one named Phoenix, with 8 men on either side of the brakes. The earth is shaking as they draw nearer. It is clear that they are racing one another. In an instant, they are cut off by another company, the Toronto, coming from the west. They disappear in the smoke migrating through the streets, still fighting with one another to be first on scene. As crazy as this sounds, it’s not a far cry from South Command fire trucks today. The biggest differences being that the streets are now paved, we have motor driven trucks, and the first in truck doesn’t get more money for showing up first. But let’s be honest; who hasn’t had a giddy moment or two beating another truck into a fire; especially in their first run area?! Vo l u m e 1 4 | I s s u e 4 | F I RE WAT CH 28
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S
:
STATIONS OF THE PAST Toronto is not great at preserving its historic buildings, and firehalls have suffered the same fate as other great edifices. In many cases, such as “Old 4” at Berkley and Dundas or “Old 9” at Ossington, north of Queen, the building still stands but has been repurposed. Old 4 is a theater company and Old 9 is a methadone clinic. Old 18 on Cowan, south of Queen, is a community centre and Old 5 on Lombard west of Jarvis is now a school of makeup art and design. We watched history steamroll steadily on as Old 30 became our Union Office and is now no longer in our possession. Old 19 on Perth Street, Old 11 on Rose, south of Bloor, and Old 2 on Portland, were torn down completely. Housing developments replaced these stations. Others, such as Old 14 were razed to make way for Ossington Subway Station. The old Police Station building that stood next to the hall (a popular combination) still exists now as an early childhood education centre. The history of firehalls in Toronto can be quite muddled, and what we know in the present day is dependent on the literature and mementos that has survived and been carefully protected. There is no tome that carries all of the definitive locations, years built, years decommissioned, and years demolished. Research involves hours of poring over old Fire Insurance Maps to confirm the exact locations of fabled stations. In short, the history of our department is scattered across the city.
The City of Toronto Archives, at Dupont and Spadina, and the Toronto Public Library Reference Library, at Yonge and Bloor, have an amazing collection that you can peruse. Much of it is available online, but nothing compares to holding the documents in the palm of your hand like an invitation to the Fireman’s Ball in 1855. Policemen, unfortunately, did not have Balls. The librarians will bring out any paraphernalia you ask for and the history buff in me gets goosebumps knowing that I’m holding the same piece of paper that a Fireman once received over a hundred years ago. Unfortunately, Fire Insurance Maps are copyrighted, and the newest ones available date back to 1924. Since they are the most reliable way of seeing exactly where the stations stood, it’s hard to find information on when that particular station was torn down past 1924. A lot more digging is necessary. Coincidentally, the ‘History of the Toronto Fire Department’ was published in 1924 and lists the 30 stations that serviced Toronto. There are old pictures of fire stations that contravene the literature or are not mentioned at all. Piecing it together requires several different sources. For example: one photograph shows what is clearly Old 22 station on Main Street, with a Police Station in the midst of being built next to it, and what looks like a temporary firehall also next to it. That ‘temporary firehall’, which presumably housed firefighters while Old 22 was being built, says ‘Firehall No. 2’. At the time that the book was published, that area had only just been incorporated into the City of Toronto, but was still considered ‘East Toronto’. Vo l u m e 1 4 | I s s u e 4 | F I RE WAT CH 29
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Stations of the Past...Continued from page 29
The need for fire protection in the east end of the city grew out of the completion of the Prince Edward Viaduct (completed 1918), which opened the entire area east of the Don River for settlement and business. At that same time, the official Station 2 was located on Portland Street, south of Queen in the west end of the city. By 1826, the first Volunteer Fire Department was created and housed in a ‘two storey brick building on the west side of Church Street between Court and Adelaide streets’. If it was still there in 1856, it is not marked on Boulton’s Map of Toronto, which curiously shows an ‘Engine House’ on Court Street, just to the west. The Fire Insurance Map from 1880 shows a Police Station and an Engine House. The map from 1884 shows a Police Station and Fire Hall, and the 1890 map, just a Police Station. Of the 30 stations listed in ‘The History of the Toronto Fire Department’ from 1924, only 10 remain in service today for their original duty. Curiously, No. 8 Station and No. 29 Station are both listed as being at the southwest corner of College and Bellevue Ave. The remaining 20 stations are divided into two categories: 6 repurposed and 14 torn down. The City of Toronto was incorporated as a City in 1834, roughly 40 years after the first land purchase negotiations with the Mississauga and Huron tribes. I use the word ‘negotiation’ loosely. The treaties are still in hot dispute in the courts today and are constantly being reviewed and challenged, resulting in huge sums of money being paid out to the tribes that once inhabited the city. The year 1834 also marked the year that Great Britain officially abolished slavery in its colonies, arguably replacing and overlapping the abolishment with indentured servitude, which tied thousands of poor immigrants, men, women and children alike, to service for years before they could earn their freedom. To his credit, John Greaves Simcoe attempted the abolishment of slavery in Canada as early as 1793. In 1839, Firehouse No. 1 was built at the south-east corner of Bay and Temperance. St. Patrick Market, a building still standing on the north side of Queen, west of University, housed another company, the Victoria Company. It was organized in 1842 for ‘quite a few years’ until that company moved onto the south side of Queen Street, ‘75ft. from the corner of John 30
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Street’. I suspect that this company became Firehose No. 6, but maps confirm the location of that particular station closer than 75ft. to John St. Maps of Toronto from 1855, show giant swaths of land, consisting of groves and woods that are now dotted with high-rises and commercial endeavors. The census of Toronto shows a population of 1,710 in 1826, 9,254 by 1834 and just over 30,000 by 1851. In contrast, the maps from the 1880s show hundreds of dwellings replacing the undeveloped forests of the 1850s. Ontario’s population grew by a million people from the 1850s to 1880s due to the huge waves of immigrants. This warranted fire protection for the thousands of residences and industrial complexes and factories that supported the menial jobs that most people worked. You could argue that the slums that sprang up all over the city needed fire protection too, but as with today, money talks. I have my personal doubts about the priority they took in the insurance company’s books. In addition to the waves of immigration from Europe, the second Refugee Slave Law passed in the United States. This made Canada an ideal refuge for freedom-seeking slaves from the south that were trying to escape across the border, risking everything to make a new start in the “Queen’s Dominion”. In 1837, Joseph Taper, a former denizen (not citizen) of Virginia, wrote to one of his friends in Virginia: “Since I have been in the Queen’s dominions I have been well contented, Yes well contented for sure, man is as God intended he should be. That is, all are born free and equal. This is a wholesome law, not like the southern laws which puts man made in the image of God on level with brutes…I have enjoyed more pleasure with one month here than in all my life in the land of bondage.” 1,500 words do not even scratch the surface of the history of the Toronto Fire Department. I encourage those of you who are curious, to visit the digital archives of the TPL and City of Toronto Archives for pictures and articles related to our history. It is even better for you to visit the actual buildings! A copy of ‘The History of the Toronto Fire Department’ is also available as a digital book. It is a fascinating read and gives the reader a primary source and a contemporary look into the ‘Old School’.
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Letter from the Editor…
Lynn Sciberras
T
he molecular representation of ethanol, the type of alcohol found in beer, wine and liquor, is pretty simple. It is made up of hydrogen, carbon, and hydrogen atoms, and can also be represented as CH3CH2OH or C2H6O. While this chemical formula seems fairly simple, having an excess amount of alcohol in one’s system, essentially consuming it faster than the body is able to break it down, follows with it, long-term effects and can even be fatal. The same can be said for the outcome of living with untreated and with prolonged substance use (drugs). The longer it is left untreated, the more detrimental it becomes. I recall when I first started my career with TFS almost 30 years ago, and my work with the Peer Support Team that followed, I would hear stories that brushed situations ‘under the carpet’, led firefighters to ‘suck it up’, and created a culture that hid the infractions encountered by firefighters with relation to their mental health. Today, while the stigma still exists, it has lessened, as we live in a society that is much more open to talking about mental health and destigmatizing it. No longer do firefighters feel they have to suffer, or suffer alone – there is help within our organization for staff to get through these most difficult times. Further, there are a plethora of professionals and programs; people who care, both internal and external, so that it is no longer an ‘us against them’ scenario. It’s a “We’re in this together, how can I/we assist?” environment.
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The founding members of the group, originally known as the EAP Team of the 1970s, had nowhere to turn back then and they found themselves struggling along until they created the group now known as the Peer Support Team of 2020 – peers helping peers. Gone are the days where members had to feel they were alone and had to hide their illness. Today, steps are available to confront and, ultimately manage their illness in a healthy manner with the support of other members, family AND the job. As we continue with this “Old School” edition of FireWatch, here’s a story in “The Mask”, of one man’s journey from then to now and how his life has changed for the better.
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The Journey Back... If I could choose a moment that captures not only the hope, but the progress made in reducing mental illness stigma, it would be October 19, 2019. I was sitting in a classroom, discussing “Persons in Crisis”. It was Module 3 of our TFS R2MR program. It still felt surreal to me, as I realized it wasn’t too long before, that I felt helpless and alone, grappling with challenges mentioned during the discussion. Challenges I didn’t see coming. The difference? In that classroom, I could be part of the solution. I had a chance to relate, educate and dispel myths that come with mental illness. This program was long overdue. We needed it then. We have it now. My list of issues was beyond lengthy. I’ve chipped away at it but, like everyone else, we continue to work on it. However, that’s not my point today. In writing this, I want to reflect on how things were back when I finally made the choice to address what was a major life crisis. I need to touch on how this all began and what triggered something in me, which at the time, was a slow build and I didn’t see any of it coming. The moment was in June 1992, at a fire where a captain had just lost his life. This call changed firefighting in Ontario and it changed my life as well. I didn’t know how to grieve, nor did others on the job, including my colleagues. Lost in the moment, our shared reaction was to visit a local bar and drink our pain away. I would place my feelings on the shelf and eventually that shelf collapsed. This went on after the funeral, so healing was slow. I looked around and saw people coping in different ways to feel connected and to mask the pain. I was doing the same thing, but justified it by looking at someone else who seemed worse off than I was. “I’m not as bad as him”, so I thought, and life went on.
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Fast forward to another event. It was an incident in the former North York, where a woman was murdered, and I was first on the murder scene. The first legal trial, two years after the incident, took a mental toll on me. So did the nine months following the trial. Each time, I relived my actions when I was challenged by accusatory lawyers, again and again. By March 2012, I couldn’t function. “Fake it till you make it”. That didn’t seem to work. At the time, I was too proud to reach out for support. The Association’s and city’s EAP were a mere call away, but I was too embarrassed, too proud, and I was afraid of the system. I also wasn’t 100% convinced I had a problem – I was confused. My solution? Doing things my way through alcohol and drug consumption. But I knew, this time, that I shouldn’t trust myself. So, I chose LTD, because I lost the confidence in myself to be able to perform to the best of my ability. A long, painful road followed. What I learned is that I couldn’t “will” the addiction part away, no matter how I tried and it made no sense. It just got worse. Finally, I surrendered – a big word for a firefighter, but a critical one when it comes to being ready to take help. My EAP connected me with Homewood. I started my journey back. What did I learn? I needed to love myself, because we can beat ourselves up pretty good with our negative self-talk. What happened, what I saw, and even how I coped, wasn’t my fault. I didn’t know enough then. It was also still an ‘elephant in the room’. Next came therapy – a huge help to get me to pinpoint and face some issues I never dealt with. They had always been “on the shelf” until the shelf collapsed. I needed to understand how all of this happened to me, so I enrolled at McMaster University and completed their addiction program. This gave me a good understanding of addiction and how it affected my brain and me. A few years later, I kept an open mind to any tool that could assist me with my addiction, such as education, environment, experiences from others, exposure to a recovery life and a 12-step program. These were some of the tools in my recovery toolbox. In these few years, I had been struggling. The public conversation about PTSD, addiction and mental health illness was about to change – for the better.
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Three years later, in March of 2015, I returned to active duty in the Operations Division, as a productive and confident employee. The transition was tough, but I had a good support network to assist me in my return. I was, and still remain, grateful for this. I wanted to give back. On April 5th, 2015, the Ontario government passed Bill 163, the Ontario First Responders Act. The Bill developed a strategy and initiatives to prevent and mitigate the risk of PTSD among first responders. I was asked to publicly share, in the media, my experience with dealing with PTSD and my return to the workplace. My “personal story of hope” is now part of our R2MR program, in the Recovery Module. Today, I have hit 32 years at TFS. Together now, we climb this mountain of mental health and wellness awareness. I am proud to say I believe TFS is moving in the right direction. We have the support of senior management, a strong peer support team, our City EAP, good benefits ($3,500 annually for a mental health professional) and most recently, our own half-time counsellor. In 2019, through Local 3888, we launched a 12-step support group meeting, a critical connection forum, held on the first Wednesday of the month, exclusively for those who are struggling with alcohol and/ or drugs. It is 100% confidential, which is vital to the premise of the group, which results in openness, honesty, and the sharing of where people are at with addressing their challenges. I end this by sharing the best of moments – today. It’s October 2020 and while still surreal, the momentum keeps going. I am ready and eager to help deliver our next module of our R2MR program and continue with our support group. My hope is that we keep doing better and more. Why? It’s simple. Even though it took a long time to get to where we are now, we are leaps and bounds ahead of where we were 32 years ago (or even 5 years ago). This is thanks to the various programs and the dedicated people and support groups in place. We’ve proven that progress is possible with passion and support behind it. I stand as a testament to the fact that with supports in place and an environment that is psychologically safe and open to the mental health and addiction topics, we can help first responders and their families who are struggling. We do it by giving back. We owe it to them and to each other.
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s ere ten Operation w e er th d, te ea cr nto ticle was At the time this ar rvice with the Toro se of s ar ye 40 er d ov . We members who ha ation department) m ga al am epr r ei th We asked some e. ic Fire Services (and rv se ng lo r ei brate th hat e day”. Here is w recognize and cele th in k ac “b as w how it of them to recall they said:
Mowing the Lawn at the Fire Station
Overhaul wit h Next
“Thursday’s duties included mowing the lawn. One time, on nightshift, it didn’t get done and the Fire Chief came down hard on the guys. The issue went all the way to arbitration and the Fire Chief was sure it would be an easy victory. The Association filled the hallway with other city workers (police, teachers, etc.) that took the stand to report that they did not cut the lawn at their workplaces. After that, it was no longer mandatory to do such maintenance jobs.” Captain Gus Maple, Modified
to
No PPE Back in the d ay, after the fi re g crews used to take off their ot knocked down, the petch coats, ro their boots an d ll extremely luck go back inside to do overh down au y Charlie Dixon to have a progressive Cap l. I was tain, named . He let me g ob had my SCBA on. Of course ack in, but only if I the senior guy , I would get ri s, lips, with com who had smokes hanging bbed by m fr smoke?” Than ents like “hey kid, you afra om their id of a little ks Chief Char lie Dixon. District Chief Chris Vascon cellos, C41C
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Surfing on the Side of the Aerial
“If the tail board was full of firefighters, guys would find a spot on the side of the Aer ial and ride it like they were surfing. Also, ther e were buzzers on the back of the truck and the old guys would tell you – if you’re going to fall off the tail board, PUSH THE BUTTON FIR ST!!” District Chief Ralph Straub, C22A
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e Telephone Dispatch Via th as
Smoking at the Kitchen Table
“The guys used to talk about how dispatching w dan When I started, the bells ringing part iculates were in the air, but they didn’t gerous the diesel ith w e on ph by tele everyone smoked non-stop around the kitc mind the fact that hall. They e th t hen table!” ou gh u ro loudly th ring for t or sh a s: n tio A/PC Jim McCracken, C44C had two op formation and in cy n ge er m -e non bly close to ten a long ring (proba lls. When that ca seconds), for fire e in the hall had n yo er ev happened, respond. In to r” to “hit the floo r Riding the Tail Board e night, if the floo the middle of th t to the bathroom en “Riding the tail board was my watch person w ring, they would t or sh a favorite thing. You had to hang and missed would is h T g. n ri g n lo on to the strap and could look put through a y gr an ly al re of over the hose bed. There was result in a bunch u at three in the yo something romantic about it!” faces looking at morning! Captain Jack Cooper, P314A anks, C31D D Jim f ie h C t ic Distr
Washing the Walls of the Diesel Emissions “If a concern was brought forward management, such as getting extractors to the diesel emissions instead of washing for walls, they would automatically dismiss the the firefighters trying to get out of wor it as k or that they were just a bunch of complainer s.” District Chief Ernie Thorne, C34A
in the Winter ck u Tr b a C n e p O it was Working on an King Street while
to a fire down on we got “We responded first thing we had to do when with l e snowing, and th e open cab of our LaFrance Aeria th there was cover e snow out!” th ep a tarp to ke ick Laffey, C31C District Chief N
Playing Dibs (Dom inos)
at th
e Firehall My first experience w ith “d ib s” or dominos was at Keel (Station 423). Ther e St captains and the senie was a little sitting room where the chiereet or were not invited. O men would play. I was a rookie and f, the chair to watch. Theyne night, I slipped into the room and pu rookies So I got the hint and stopped and stared at me. No one saidlled up a Lansdowne (Station got up and left! I eventually got to sit in a word. years to eventually be426) if they needed someone to fill in. at It to come a full member of the “dibs” games!” ok Captain Murray Man son, P331D Smokey & Captain Lino Maniezzo (retired)
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Post-Exposure Process and the Mandatory Blood Testing Act for TFS Personnel BY SHAWN MCCORMICK & STEVE ZAVITZ, EMS COMMITTEE
Experiencing a significant exposure to an infectious disease is an intimidating and unpleasant event. Depending on the disease, the follow up testing can continue for months and years after the exposure, which can be extremely stressful for the individual and their family. The best way to avoid this risk is to take universal precautions and wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and be diligent and safe with sharps. That said, precautions fail, and a multitude of circumstances can lead to potential exposures. The purpose of this article is to highlight the procedures found in the TFS SOG Personnel Post Exposure (G-COMD) and how and when the Mandatory Blood Testing Act (S-MBTA) comes into play.
What is a significant exposure? High risk exposures happen when a firefighter is exposed to a suspected communicable disease, whose transmission medium (blood, respiratory secretions, etc.) has entered the firefighter’s body. The specific disease, its medium of transmission, the route of entry and the PPE worn are all considerations when determining exposure.
High Risk Significant Exposures Disease
Disease
Ultimately there are two main mechanisms a. Blood to Blood contact (via open wound / mucus membrane / needle stick injury) b. Inhaled respiratory secretions of patient with communicable disease
Examples – Blood Borne - Bite Injuries - Needle Stick Injuries - PPE Failure where blood contacts open wound/mucus membrane Each scenario is different and has its own nuance, DO NOT HESITATE to contact the on duty Designated Officer (DO) if you are unsure.
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HCV
(Hepatitis C Virus)
HBV
(Hepatitis B Virus)
Exposure Type
Risk %
Sharps injury
0.3-0.5%
Splash/spray on nonintact skin or mucous membrane
Splash/spray on non-intact skin or mucous membrane
Sharps injury or Splash/spray of blood on non-intact skin
3%
Splash/spray of blood 0% on mucous membrane Sharps injury or splash/spray of blood/body fluid (including saliva) on non-intact skin or mucous membrane
30%
statistics from TFS SDO book
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ANY NEEDLE STICK INJURY TO A FIREFIGHTER MUST BE REPORTED TO THE DESIGNATED OFFICER IMMEDIATELY. Communicable Disease and Transmission Type Disease
Route of Entry
Transmission
PPE/Treatment
Bloodstream (i.e. blood to blood contact such as needle stick)
Gloves, eye protection, N95 mask, gown, bunker pants and boots • Prophylactic cocktail, if indicated
Hepatitis B, C
• • •
Bloodstream
Gloves, eye protection, N95 mask, gown, bunker pants and boots • Hep B - vaccine
Hepatitis A
Fecal/Oral
Contaminated fingers or foodstuffs
Gloves and appropriate hand washing
Tuberculosis
Airborne (i.e. respiratory secretions, sputum or saliva)
Respiratory - inhale airborne bacteria in close quarters with respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing or talking
Meningitis (meningococcal disease)
Direct contact with discharge from nose or throat
Respiratory/oral- kissing, sharing cups, food, utensils, etc.
HIV
Body Fluids (blood) • Needle Stick • Broken Skin Body fluids (blood Needle stick Broken skin Saliva
N95 masks, gloves Medications
•
N95 masks, gloves Antibiotics
•
*G-COMD- Communicable Disease Exposure 27/7 page 2
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What to do after an exposure? It is absolutely essential that TFS personnel be as expeditious as possible in executing the initial responsibilities following an exposure (Step #1 - Step #3), given that certain prophylaxis and follow up treatments are time dependant (2 hours in the case HIV prophylaxis).
Steps for TFS personnel after a suspected significant exposure involving direct contact to another person’s blood or body fluid
1
2
3
Go to the same Emergency Department as the source patient whenever possible (…hopefully, to have the same Physician) Whenever possible, the potentially exposed firefighter shall proceed to the same Hospital in the same ambulance as the source patient. • This procedure has been agreed to by TPS
Call Communications and ask for the Designated Officer ASAP
As soon as possible, the Company Officer shall contact TFS Communications (preferably by phone) and ask for the on call Designated Officer (DO).
Follow the direction of the Designated Officer and/or Attending Physician
Receive specific instructions from the DO pertaining to the appropriate assessment and treatment of potential exposure • If TFS employee is transported with patient to the Emergency Department, the attending physician can expedite any treatment or prophylactic necessary. *from TFS SOG G-COMD page 4 paragraph 1
It is important to note that the first job of the Designated Officer is to assess the situation and circumstances to determine if the event was in fact an exposure. To assist in the process, prepare to answer a few basic questions regarding the incident.
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Questions Designated Officer (DO) will need answered a. Was there direct contact with the medium carrying disease? (see Communicable Disease and Transmission Type table) b. Was appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) worn, that should have prevented transmission of the disease? c. Was the PPE compromised? d. Was there an applicable “route of entry” for the disease? e. Is it reasonable to believe the patient in question is/was infected with infectious disease?
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When and why we initiate the Mandatory Blood Testing Act In the event that TFS personnel have had a significant exposure and, for whatever reason, there is a delay or obstacle in facilitating the immediate response to an exposure (Steps #1- Steps #3) and the Designated Officer believes you have had an exposure to HIV/ AIDS, Hepatitis B or C, they will walk you through the much lengthier discovery process utilizing the provincial legislation and the Mandatory Blood Testing Act, 2006 (S-MBTA) (Steps #4 - Step #7)
What is The Mandatory Blood Testing Act (MBTA)? The MBTA is provincial legislation that allows a variety of eligible persons (including first responders in the course of their duties) to get access to information after exposure to a body substance of another person.
Diseases included in the MBTA 1) Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) 2) Hepatitis B 3) Hepatitis C.
* Applicant has 7 days post exposure, to submit application to local Public Health Unit (PHU); typically, TFS deals with Toronto Public Health – otherwise, it involves the PHU having jurisdiction.
Steps for TFS personnel to initiate the MBTA post-exposure if necessary
4
Fill Out TFS and MBTA Forms
The Designated Officer will work with the Medical Officer of Health and the TFS employee to fill out the appropriate forms to pursue blood testing of the Respondent (source patient).
Forms the Designated Officer (DO) will need to pursue MBTA a. Toronto Workers Report of Suspected Exposure (Hazardous Material or Pathogen) b. Workers Report if Injury (Form 6) c. Supervisor’s Report of Injury (Form 7) d. Form 2 - Applicant Report - Pursuant to the Mandatory Blood Testing Act and O. Reg 449/07 (008-11-003E) * All the necessary forms are located in the Firefighter Incident Envelope carried on every DC vehicle S-MBLT page 2
5 6
7
Voluntary Process (MBTA)
The Medical Officer of Health will assign a Public Health nurse to contact the Respondent (source patient) and give them two days to volunteer a blood sample for testing or evidence that the Respondent had been tested for HIV, Hepatitis B and C within 4 weeks Order Process (MBTA) If the 2-day voluntary process timeline expires, the Consent and Capacity Board will meet and have 7 days to start and conclude a hearing and 1 day to make a decision on whether the Respondent (source patient) will be forced to provide a blood sample. Order to Comply (MBTA) If the Board orders in the applicant’s (TFS Employee) favour, the patient will have 7 days to comply and provide a blood sample for testing • The applicant (TFS Employee) will be notified when results are available and can review them through their family physician.
Though this process is lengthy and will likely NOT assist in a timely decision to take specific prophylactic medication, it can be an essential process to provide peace of mind. It will determine whether the treatment or testing (ordered by the Attending Physician) that the Responder has undergone was worth the discomfort and time, by confirming if the source patient has the disease of concern. Vo l u m e 1 4 | I s s u e 4 | F I RE WAT CH 39
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Member Profile on G BY TONY MACDONALD, TORONTO FIRE CAPTAIN (RETIRED)
E
ver wonder what makes certain people tick? When you hear of a guy on the job with 40 years of service, does it make you wonder why they haven’t retired yet? Gus Maple is one of those guys. As a matter of fact, he is #1 on the TPFFA’s Personnel Seniority List. After 44 and a half years on the job, he is still happy to be working here. Gus says, “I was born in 1953 and I was the ninth of 10 children, to Scandinavian immigrants. I grew up with Howdy Doody, Marilyn Monroe, the Mickey Mouse Club and Captain Kangaroo. I remember Sputnik, the Kennedy/ Nixon debate and the deaths of Marilyn Monroe, President John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Robert F Kennedy & Elvis Presley. I watched the live transmission of the man walking on the moon and watched the Maple Leafs win a number of Stanley Cups, on our black and white TV. Looking back makes me feel so old, but I’m lucky that I still can.”
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He started on the Scarborough Fire Department on July 5th, 1976, and after four weeks of training, he was placed on the trucks! For guys who now receive 22 – 24 weeks of recruit training, and are also graduates from a College PreService Fire Fighter course, this must sound unusual. That was normal back then! “In the early days, we were on probation for our first six months of the job. Then, we had to write and pass a major examination before we could be sworn into the union. It was the responsibility of the guys in our hall to train us for that exam. Our performance reflected on them.” Gus was assigned to Pumper/Snorkel # 8 at 1550 Midland Avenue (now Station 232). He was very happy there as he progressed through the classes until he was a First Class Fire Fighter. He was then transferred to Pump 6 at 1600 Birchmount Road (Station 245). After four years, they moved him to Pump 15, which is now called Pump 211. A fire fighter in today’s service might wonder what Gus did wrong to be transferred so many times. Back then, it was an accepted practice. It was felt that a fire fighter would learn the streets of the city better after working at various stations. Another theory was that a young fire fighter would learn more things, or different things from various captains and crews. Gus reflects, “In those days, a crew was not allowed to have more than 23 weeks of vacation. Each fall, the district chiefs got together to shuffle all the members to create each crew with a captain, an A/C and three fire fighters. Back then, there was no D licence nor Z endorsement so everybody had to be a competent driver.“ They continued to transfer him to Hall #10 (Station 243), back to Hall #15 (Station 211), and then to Hall #1 (which is now closed) in 1990, where he was the Acting Captain. Gus says, “I have always been lucky to have GREAT crews, but Hall #1 was a very busy hall and a number of tragic calls left me with some issues. PTSD was unheard of in those days, although there were some general plans to help a fire fighter facing those types of issues.” “I was adversely affected by a few calls, and then one of them left me shattered! I was tossed ‘forth and back’ (you can’t come back until you have gone forth) between the employer and the WCB for a while, but all I wanted was to get back on the trucks. Thankfully, the union came up with a solution. Scarborough needed someone to train the new recruits, and since I had always had an interest in the Training Division, it sounded workable. The union and management agreed that I could do the job on a trial basis for a few
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n GUS MAPLE months, and then both sides could reassess the situation. As it turned out, I was medically cleared to go back on the trucks after training the recruits.” “The experience in Training was incredible, and I still have a great deal of affection for the people that I trained and worked with. I returned to my truck, and then a year and a half later, I was asked to train another batch of rookies! I enjoyed the experience again, but it turned out that these would be the last recruits trained by the Scarborough Fire Department!” Gus became a Senior Acting Captain at Station 231. He was promoted to full Captain on the Aerial at Station 213 in May 1998. “I was never fond of the ‘crew rotation‘ system, so I moved to Station 211.” In January 2016, his injury was recognized and he received treatment. “There was a world of difference in the level of treatment by this time. First off, I was treated by professionals who understood what is entailed in our jobs. Not just a patient listener, who thought that our job was simply to put the wet stuff on the red stuff and to please save my cat. Another major point was the medical acceptance of my injury and absence from regular rotation.” In September 2018, Gus turned 65 and had to leave suppression. He has been on the ‘Mod Squad’ ever since. “Members who are unable to perform their regular duties due to illness, injury, age, etc. are assigned to ‘modified duties’. We refer to ourselves as the “Mod Squad”. I have worked with the people at Equipment Services, SCBA, and Quartermaster. All these duties have been fantastic. We are so lucky to have such wonderful personnel on our job. I truly believe that if all suppression members could spend a month in each of these assignments, it would serve them well throughout their careers. Currently I am working at Toryork, assigned to the SCBA team, although I am not technically part of the Mechanical Division.” “Often, people will ask me why I have not retired yet, and my standard response is, ‘obviously, you have never heard me sing’. The truth is, I have always loved this job, so I really have no desire to leave.” Gus reminisces, “I have responded to so many different calls over the years. Some of them I no longer remember, and some I cannot forget. One that stays with me was a long time ago. We responded to a medical call at a house near our hall. Back then, we worked 10 hour day and 14 hour night shifts, and it was our first call of the night. It was a family of four, where the mom, dad, and daughter all worked, but the son was unhappy because he could not find a job. After they went to work one day, he went to the basement and took his own life. When his sister came home, she discovered him. She called 911 (a new service that had just started) and we were there in moments. We were not allowed to pronounce his death, but it seemed obvious that he was gone.
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Ingredients
Ingredients (Per person)
• 4 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted) • 8 cloves garlic, minced • 4 tbsp all purpose flour • 2 cups chicken broth • 1 cup heavy cream • 2 jars (270ml each) sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and thoroughly patted dry with paper towel • 600g parmesan (petals or shredded) • ½ tsp dried oregano • ½ tsp dried basil • ½ tsp red pepper flakes • 1 green onion, chopped • 1 lb bacon, cooked and chopped • 2 boxes of penne
• Chicken breast • 1 cup small shrimp • 1 package chow mein noodles • 4 tbsp teriyaki sauce • 2 tbsp oyster sauce • 1 tbsp butter • 1 clove of garlic.
Directions
• Melt butter in a pan over medium/high heat • Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute • Whisk in flour until lightly browned • Gradually whisk in chicken broth • Stir in heavy cream, sundried tomatoes, parmesan, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, green onion, cooked bacon and stir until thickened Serves: 4-6
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Directions
• Butterfly and section chicken breasts; • Marinate chicken breasts in teriyaki and oyster sauce; • Saving the marinade, BBQ the chicken breasts; • Saute shrimp in butter and garlic; • Add remaining teriyaki/ oyster sauce marinade to shrimp in fry pan and simmer; • Add completed grilled chicken to fry pan with shrimp and marinade; • Cook chow mein noodles, drain and add to contents of fry pan; Simmer for 1 minute (stirring together) and serve. If you have a Fire Hall recipe that you’d like to share with our members, please contact Suzanne Boss via email at sboss@torontofirefighters.org
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Member Profile...Continued from page 41
As my partner worked on him, as per our protocol, I took his sister upstairs. I tried to calm her, and prepare her for some of what was to come in the next few days and when her parents came home. We also talked about how the clergy could possibly help.” “After the call, my Captain was a bit cross with me, for not staying to assist my partner. I explained that I did not want to respond to the same house for the sister in the future, so I was attempting to comfort her and to help her deal with the tragedy. It turned out that my Captain liked that way of dealing with the situation. While he was filling out his report, he asked me what I would call what I did. I answered ‘survivor care’. I had never seen those words before, but they seem to be used now, so I guess that was my little contribution to the fire service.” “Back in the days of long coats, tall boots and riding the tail gate, I was returning from a fire call. The tailgate was loaded with many rolls of hose, and it was very crowded back there. Driving over a bad road that was under construction, we hit a series of potholes. We normally stood with our knees bent, to absorb the shocks. After one of these jolts, at a moment when my legs had straightened, we hit another large pothole. I was bounced off the tailgate and landed on the road. I had fractured 2 vertebrae in my neck (C6 and C7). I was treated at the hospital with a stiff neck collar and sent home. Eventually, I recovered and returned to work. I am glad those days are done! Our new trucks are so much safer.” “One night I was sent to fill in on another truck. We were dispatched to a car fire. I was an Acting Captain, although I wasn’t acting that night. My co-worker was quite new on the job and therefore eager to have the nozzle. The fire was in the engine compartment, and he
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was kneeling in front of the car, applying water on the fire through the grill. Much to his surprise, I reached over and pulled him away. I explained that since 1973, cars had shock absorbers in the bumpers and that they could overheat and BURST, propelling the bumper forward. No sooner did that register with him, when my prediction came true. Anyone who had been in the path of that flying bumper would never walk again.“ “We have always adhered to the principle that ‘what happens in the fire hall, stays in the fire hall’. With that in mind, it feels a little strange to be relating these stories.” “My son KC (Kristian Carlo) is also a very busy man. Any moments we get together are highly cherished. When he was an army cadet in his teenage years, I worked as a civilian volunteer so that we could spend more time together. He is now an officer cadet at Royal Military College. We acquired an acreage in Muskoka where we get together whenever possible. Our dream is to turn it into a working farm someday.” “Our job typically brings us into direct contact with the horrors of life that normal people seldom have to face. I wish that I had the answers for how to cope with these nightmareinducing situations. All I can offer is that drugs and alcohol are short term and ineffective. You can trust me on that. I would suggest dealing with it by talking with your crew, Chaplain, peer councillors, professionals, or your spiritual leader. Not your family or your bartender. As you encounter these occurrences, and you almost certainly will, I sincerely wish you well. Remember that you are only experiencing normal responses to abnormal situations. My heart goes out to you all.” “For any of the guys who have heard me sing, don’t worry, I won’t be quitting my day job!”
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September 25, 2020 - November 21, 2020 Retired Frank McPherson Bill Wainwright Roy Edward Waterfield John Mason Wood Robert Alfred Chalmers James Gerard Kearns Patrick J McGrath
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September 26, 2020 October 2, 2020 October 14, 2020 October 15, 2020 November 4, 2020 November 6, 2020 November 21, 2020
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They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.
CAPTAIN GARY CAMPBELL On August 11, 2020 Toronto Fire Captain Gary Campbell passed away at the age of 70. Brother Campbell originally joined the York Fire Department and was very proud to be of service to his community throughout the duration of his career. He retired from TFS Station 422 on December 27, 2000 after a 28-year career with Toronto Fire. In Honour of Captain Gary Campbell, a Memorial Plaque will be hung at TFS Station 422.
DISTRICT CHIEF JAMES (JIM) RITCHIE On November 24, 2019 retired Toronto District Chief James Ritchie passed away. District Chief Ritchie, also known as Jim, joined the Etobicoke Fire Department in 1971 and was very proud to be of service to his community throughout the duration of his career. He then retired from the Toronto Fire Services on February 28, 2009 as District Chief on C44 at Station 445, B Platoon. A Celebration of Life was hosted by the Ritchie family on Saturday January 11th, 2020, which was attended by family, friends and fellow Fire Fighters. In Honour of District Chief James Ritchie, a Memorial Plaque will be hung at TFS Station 445.
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On October 3, 2020, Toronto Captain and former TPFFA President, Ed Kennedy, passed away at the age of 61. We would like to pay tribute to him for his many years of dedicated service to the firefighting labour efforts at the local, provincial and federal level. He made life-long friendships with many people on and off the job, which is evident with the outpouring of condolences and good memories. We have included a small number of these heart-felt comments below. Rest in peace, Brother Kennedy.
Tributes
I am truly grateful for the years we spent together. Ed was like a big brother to me and he took the time to not only teach me to be a good union leader but he also taught me to be a better person. He was instrumental in setting up the foundation of this union and I cannot look around without seeing his involvement. Thank you for everything and may you rest in peace. Frank Ramagnano
Ed Kennedy’s unique style of bargaining has left a legacy of benefits for countless current and future fire fighters and their families, many who will never have the privilege of knowing him personally. One in particular is the health spending account for fire fighters over 65, a benefit Ed never had the opportunity to utilize. Gone too soon, greatly missed and respected by many. John MacLachlan
Eddy always got his way. From who held the remote to winning a grievance to where we were going for pizza and beer. But regardless, he treated you with respect and ended every conversation with “Take Care.” A fierce “grizzly bear” to some and an “Eddy bear” to others, he looked out for his family and friends. I was lucky to call him my friend Kevin McCarthy
I first got to know Ed when I was elected to the 3888 Executive Board in the fall of 2008 and gained great respect for the dedication, knowledge, respect, and experience he brought to the table as a true union leader. Over the next twelve years, this relationship evolved into a great friendship that I will always treasure and the fond memories of the good times we spent at Harcourt Park with Ed and his loving wife Dina will last forever. Doug Irwin
When I was first elected to the executive board, Ed treated me with a respect that I had not yet earned. He ensured that I was placed on committees where I would be most likely to succeed. I would not be where I am today without Ed James Reed
Ed was highly respected and liked by all. He will leave a large void in the labour fire service. Sincerest condolences go out to his wife Dina, family and friends. He will be greatly missed by all. My Dear Friend xoxoxoxoxo Karen Reid
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Notes from Social Media (with permission) He was a very kind and compassionate individual. I’ll miss his big smile. RIP Eddie. Sue Brown
Association Biography Ed was elected as an Executive Officer with the Scarborough Professional Fire Fighters Association in 1988, becoming the Vice President in 1995. At amalgamation of the new City of Toronto, he chaired the Council of Trade Unions - Collective Agreement Committee, working on briefs and presentations for our bargaining with the City, as well as the landmark Teplitsky Arbitration. This would ultimately lead to the first Collective Agreement for the new Local 3888. Ed became Vice-President of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association in 2002, and held that position for eight years, before assuming the office of President in May 2010, where he served for over fourand-a-half years, representing the 3000 members of the TPFFA. Ed played a key role in the establishment of the Toronto FirePac Committee and the L3888 Stewards Committee. During his time as the Government Relations Chair of the TPFFA, he played a lead role in the “Fire Chief” selection process at City Hall in 2002, as well as advocating for our first-ever mayoral endorsement of candidate David Miller, who was successfully elected as Mayor in 2003. Ed was a long time champion of firefighter issues, lobbying both the provincial and federal governments for legislative changes, such as Bill 84 (FPPA), the Toronto Amalgamation, Presumptive Legislation (Bill 221), Amendments to the Safe Streets Act (Bill 58), Emergency Service Providers Insurance Protection Act (Bill 40), Marijuana Grow Labs Act (Bill 128), federal Hazmat funding, priority vaccinations for first responders, and the need to establish a federal Public Safety Officer Compensation Benefit. In 1997, when the PFOFF and the OPFFA merged, Ed was appointed Chair of the new OPFFA Education Committee, a position he held for 18 years. Under his leadership, the OPFFA has established a program of semiannual educational seminars for its members. These seminars, which provide information and education on a wide array of topics related to important labour issues surrounding the fire service, are widely recognized and respected across North America. Ed has always lived by the principle that our union must “Stand Strong-Together” if we are to continue to defend ourselves from continued attacks on our profession, while standing united with our brothers and sisters across the labour spectrum.
I’m so very sorry to hear of Ed’s passing. He was far too young to die. A gentleman and strong advocate for all Fire employees. He will be deeply missed. My condolences to his family and all. Sandra Soon As much as he was a huge Champion for us rank and file, I was honoured to call him a friend first. Rob Gutray Ed was a very respected and loved person in our FF family. It is a great loss to all! My condolences to his family. You are in my thoughts and prayers! Tammy Heleno Such a dedicated gentleman to us all. His time and efforts were much appreciated by all of us at TFS. Heartfelt condolences to his family. Rest in Peace Ed Gus Weinhart You did so much to protect all CANADIAN fire fighters Ed. Your leadership for ALL TFS will never be forgotten brother. Steve Yurqiw R.I.P. Ed! “You fulfilled your passions in life and helped many others along the way!” “Salute to you Brother!” Craig Chandler RIP Chappy. You will be missed in the fire service for sure. My sincere condolences to your entire family. Brad Bull Worked with you and your Dad Dave for many years! The utmost respect my friend! You will be missed! R.I.P Brother!! Todd Roberts Great man who always had the members backs. Rest easy, Ed. You will always be remembered. Linda Summers Ed was a great man that I had the honour to work with and he gave his all to the brothers and sisters of the SFD and TFD. He worked tirelessly for the betterment of the Fire Services. Ed you will be greatly missed by us all. Thank you for your services and may you rest in peace. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family and friends always. Ron Dey Hell of a guy. Only the good die young. RIP Brother. William Lambert Rest In Peace Ed, thank you for all you did. Tony Bavaro Vo l u m e 1 4 | I s s u e 4 | F I RE WAT CH 47
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Fit to SURVIVE
The fire fighter’s guide to health and nutrition
OLD SCHOOL CARDIO BY ALEX BOERSMA, TORONTO FIRE CAPTAIN, STATION 426-D
Back in the day, before anyone had ever heard of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), people did cardio “old school”. It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t exciting. It didn’t promise miraculous results in the blink of an eye. But it worked. In those days, if people wanted to burn off fat or build an aerobic base, they found an activity that would provide them with a continuous elevated heart rate and they did that activity for a given period of time – usually about 45 to 90 minutes. Endurance athletes referred to this kind of training as aerobic threshold (AeT) training or long slow distance (LSD) training. Body builders and weight loss enthusiasts referred to it as training in the fat burning zone. Nowadays, the high intensity zealots would scoff at people practicing old school cardio, pointing to studies which indicate HIIT is both more efficient and more effective. However, in doing so, they would only be partially correct. Sure, when we pit old school cardio and HIIT against each other, HIIT often gets similar, if not better results - and usually in less time. But do we really need to pit one against the other? Here’s the thing: Most studies in this field compare three days a week of HIIT to three days a week of steady state cardio. Very few, if any, juxtapose combinations of HIIT and steady state cardio against HIIT alone over five or six training sessions per week. The reality is, there are significant bene-
fits to exercising more than three times per week. It is well recognized that HIIT is difficult to recover from and should therefore not typically be used more than two or three times per week. It is also well recognized that steady state cardio, if done appropriately, can actually help with recovery from more intense exercise sessions. So, why not program some of each? Furthermore, we must recognize that HIIT research invariably reveals a relatively quick plateau (usually six to eight weeks) after which, returns begin to diminish. Conversely, research on steady state cardio reveals long-term and sustainable improvement potential over months, years and even decades. For firefighters, the value of old school cardio should be obvious. Because of our shift work, recovery from exercise will rarely be our strong suit. Because our performance needs to be measured in decades, rather than months or years, recovery is paramount. Although higher intensities can and should play a role in our training, they should not be employed at the expense of recovery. A healthy dose of steady state aerobic training will not only sustain us over the long haul, but it will allow us to recover more effectively from any higher intensity demands we are exposed to.
BUT OLD SCHOOL CARDIO IS SO BORING! I couldn’t agree more! Although I appreciate the value of steady state aerobic training, there is a zero percent chance you will catch me plodding away on a treadmill, bike or elliptical for multiple hours each week. Fortunately, there are more interesting ways of achieving a consistently elevated heart rate. I will explore some of these, but before I do, let’s clear up a few issues.
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• The kind of training we are talking about falls between zones 2 and 3 in the chart to the left. Heart rates should be between 65 and 75 percent of max (about 115 to 135 bpm for most) and exertion level should be between four and five on a scale of 1 to 10. You should be able to talk in complete sentences. • Duration counts. Most of the benefits of this kind of training come when you perform it for 40 to 60 minutes, at least twice per week. • Steady state counts. Ideally, you will work up to your target heart rate or effort level fairly quickly and then stay fairly close to it for the duration of the workout. The workout should have no significant rest periods. If your heart rate or effort level is too high, don’t stop – slow down instead. • Choose activities that can easily be modified by either picking up or slowing down the pace. You don’t want to be continually changing loads in order to modify effort.
• For most people, choose activities which are not high impact. Many people will want to run for these workouts, but if you are heavier, older, or already doing other activities that stress the joints significantly, you would be better off choosing lower impact activities. • Adaptations take time. Be patient. You will progress by doing more work in a given amount of time or by sustaining the same effort level for longer durations. But you should be looking to progress over months and years, not over weeks. To make these workouts more interesting, try to change up the exercises/movements you are doing every two to five minutes so nothing becomes tedious. Perform them in a circuit with minimal rest between exercises, while maintaining an appropriate effort level. Repeat this for 40 to 60 minutes.
Here are a few suggestions: Multiple Aerobic Modalities Take three or four aerobic modalities and do five minutes of each one, with about 15 seconds to switch from one to the other. I have included a screen shot of a workout I did using a bike, a rowing machine and a 12-inch step. My target heart rate for this workout was about 120.
Body Weight Exercises Select a number of bodyweight exercises, each of which you can perform for one to two minutes at a relatively easy effort level. I have included a screen shot of a workout I did, which was designed to also challenge mobility and stability. Target heart rate for this workout was 125. Remember, your aerobic system does not know what it is you are doing. All it knows is what demands you are placing on it. So, as long as you are putting in a sustained and appropriate effort, your body will adapt, and you will become fitter and healthier. For more information on the physiological benefits of performing this kind of training, listen to this interview with Inigo San Milan https://peterattiamd. com/inigosanmillan/. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at dynacore@sympatico.ca.
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3888 RECENT HAPPENINGS
Again, due to Covid-19, the Rob Penney Softball Tournament was cancelled for 2020. A T-shirt sale was still held to generate some funds with all the proceeds going to the Canadian Firefighters Cancer Research Fund at Princess Margaret Hospital. Here, Rob Penney’s sister, Ann Menheere, and her daughter, Laura, accept four t-shirts from the Association.
On September 13, 2020, 30 riders embarked on a shortened Memorial Ride to raise funds and awareness for the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation (CFFF). They left Oakville Fire Station 3 and rode to Toronto Fire Station 334. Normally, they would have ridden from Hamilton to Ottawa covering 550km in 3 days, but due to Covid-19, they did what they could. They rode in memory of the 76 members to be added to the 1610 names already on the wall. The TPFFA donated $1000 to this worthy cause to support the CFFF. If you wish to donate, please visit the CFFF page under the https://www.canadahelps.org website.
The 2020 Movembe r campaign was limited to a fundra iser involving challenge coins w ith the Movember logo on them. Mem bers were still encouraged to raise money and coordinate it throug h a TPFFA Movember Team.
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Our 2020 campaign offered the opportunity for members to purchase Canadian Made trucker hats, gaiters, stickers and some older Pink merchandise. All items were available in the colour pink, as it is the international colour associated with creating awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness month. Pink merchandise was authorized to be worn for the entire month of October, while on-duty, in place of the standardissue TFS baseball cap. Vo l u m e 1 4 | I s s u e 4 | F I RE WAT CH 50
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Due to Covid 19, Remembrance Day er ceremonies across the city were eith of ber num ted limi reduced to a very nto guests, or were cancelled. The Toro et forg not did rs ghte Professional Firefi ath, wre a d ente the fallen and pres with a small party, on behalf of the s: membership at the following location c Civi York East y, Prospect Cemeter Center, Etobicoke Civic Center, North York Civic Center, York Civic Center, Scarborough Civic Center, Queens Park, Sunnybrook Veterans Centre/ Hospital, Kew Gardens Cenotaph, and Swansea Town Hall.
Your Number One Fan! Good Afternoon All I just watched the video my daughter took of my granddaughter receiving her IN PERSON visit by the Toronto Fire Services who gave her a fire badge and 3 hats. More than that...with the fire truck lights on outside her house with the firefighters in it waving at her...and the firefighter who went up to the door...God bless you, sir. Despite her positive test result, you stayed a bit while social distancing, to talk to Chloe and asked how she was. Then, you looked at mom, who was still inside and asked how SHE was holding up. You have NO IDEA how much that meant to both of them, and me, seeing my granddaughter squealing in delight and my daughter teary (with happy tears) on a video call to us. From the bottom of my heart, to everyone involved in making today happen, a sincere and heartfelt THANK YOU. You created a memory they will cherish for their lifetimes. Sincerely, “Nana” Bonnie Lariviere Hugs to you all!
VID-19, the Toy ifications due to CO Despite some mod ith the proper they normally do w Drive carried on as ders, and Toronto year, Corus staff, lea allenge precautions. This oup activity step ch gr a in ed at cip rti Firefighters pa ekick, in order to p-tracking app, Strid that used the grou refighters’ Toy s for the Toronto Fi ns at the raise monetary fund rs accepted donatio ee nt lu vo ; lly na tio ru events Drive. Addi ral of their drive-th ve se at se ou eh ar Toy Drive W actless as possible. e donating as cont in an effort to mak ve in a variety of e volunteers who ga around the Thank you to all th g and organization in an cle l ra ne ge ing orders roles, such as ting toys, and pick un co d an ng rti so allowed warehouse, who donated and all to u yo k an Th for donation. g a unique time. g what we do durin us to continue doin
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“Then the Covid thought of something it hadn’t before. What if Christmas, it thought, didn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” Dr. Seuss (variation)
T
raditionally, the TPFFA hosts a Christmas party for the members, their families and friends at Variety Village. This event is always a huge hit with the kids, as it provides a wonderful mix of activities, Christmas cheer, presents and a chance for the members to see each other and chat a little. Yet again, Covid-19 created a challenge. In order to meet the government gathering rules and to provide a safe and enjoyable event, the Entertainment, Recreation & Social Committee had to be creative. They decided to host the Children’s Christmas Party – Movie Night! This event offered an outdoor drive-in movie style night in a large parking lot of the Toronto Zoo, with everything being done in the comfort (and safety) of the members’ vehicles. As the members arrived, they were welcomed by masked greeters and given instructions on how the night would be organized. They were directed to one of three registration desks that confirmed their registration and provided the gifts, based on the ages of the children in the registration. Next, they were directed to the drive-in movie area, where they could select a good vantage point to see the screen, while being separated from the vehicles on either side. Once there, they were encouraged to stay at their vehicle and all of the interactions came to the vehicle. Many people came prepared with lawn chairs, blankets and even inflatable mattresses!
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Food, consisting of hotdogs, pizza, and popcorn, was delivered by volunteers using carts. Chaperones coordinated the photos with Santa by guiding the families over to the big man in red (and Mrs. Claus as well). To round out the fun, a juggler entertained while passing in front of your vehicle, weaving in and out of the rows, to keep the spirits high. At dusk, the movie was projected on the massive screen. The movie of the night was “The Polar Express”, a 2004 animated story of a young boy who embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express train, while learning about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas. The audio was broadcasted through one of the lower FM radio frequencies, so the audience could hear it through their car audio system. The one thing that could not be planned was the weather. On this Christmas Party Drive-In day – the weather was a Christmas miracle! The sky was clear, there was no wind and the temperature was close to 20 degrees! Gorgeous!
Approximately 233 children, 105 members and additional family and friends enjoyed this extremely well received event. The ERS Committee is so pleased, it is considering adding it to the event list permanently - after Covid-19 is history, of course! It will likely be something that will be scheduled in the spring or summer. A big thank you is extended to all of the volunteers, including the kids of Association members, the Fire Venturers, and the committee members, who planned and executed this successful event. Happy holidays and good health to all!
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